The present invention relates to an actuating device comprising at least one pivotably mounted actuating arm for moving a furniture flap. The actuating arm is or can be acted upon by a spring device, and there is provided an assembly securing device for the vacant actuating arm on which therefore no furniture flap has yet been fitted. The assembly securing device prevents accidental opening or deflection of the vacant actuating arm and for that purpose has a braking or latching device which can be moved by way of a shaft.
The invention further concerns an article of furniture having an actuating device of the kind to be described.
Such actuating devices serve for example to move a furniture flap which is connected to the pivotally mounted actuating arm between a vertical position in which a compartment in a carcass is covered and an upwardly moved open position. To compensate for the weight of the flap there is provided a spring device or a gas pressure storage means, and the torque acting on the actuating arm can be adjusted selectively to the weight of the flap to be moved. In the case of heavy furniture flaps, therefore, a very high torque is to be provided as the biasing force for the actuating arm. If now the actuating device is already pre-assembled to the article of furniture in the course of assembly, there is as yet no furniture flap pivotally connected to the actuating arm. Thus, there is a serious risk that the actuating arm can be massively deflected by the spring device acting thereon and as a result can seriously injure the assembly personnel. Therefore, WO 2006/069412 A1 to the present applicant already discloses an assembly securing device for the “vacant” actuating arm—to which therefore no furniture flap has yet been fitted—, which has a braking or latching device for limiting the opening speed of the vacant actuating arm.